title: Saccadic eye movements after low-dose oral alcohol exposure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The influence of low-dose alcohol intake on reflexive visually guided saccades was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  40 healthy human subjects were orally given alcohol resulting in low-dose alcohol concentration (less than 0.8‰) blood alcohol concentration. Before and after exposure, horizontal saccadic eye movements were recorded at several points in time. The recordings were evaluated with regard to accuracy of the eye movements, latency, the peak eye velocity and the time constant that characterizes the main sequence. The results were compared to recordings from a reference group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that the saccadic eye movement was clearly altered by low-dose alcohol intake. However, its characteristics were not unambiguously pathological when compared to the reference group, even though the subjects reported a moderate to strong effect of alcohol and there were clear signs of inebriation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings render the evaluation of saccades unsuitable as a simple test for the detection of low-dose alcohol intake.
authors.affiliation: AGU - Working Group on Accident Mechanics, Winkelriedstrasse 27, CH 8006 Zurich, Switzerland; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, CH 8092 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: schmitt@agu.ch.
authors.forename: Kai-Uwe
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lanz
authors.forename: Markus H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Muser
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Walz
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012438:Saccades / Q000187:drug effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Fitness to drive; Low-dose alcohol intake; Saccadic eye movement; Traffic medicine